U.S. Senate Race May Be Close... Is Closely Watched

Polls continue to roll in showing the Kentucky U.S. Senate race is tight. It is also being closely watched around the country. Time magazine did a story featuring the battle for the senate and zeroed in on Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's challenge from Democrat Bruce Lunsford.... Other publications and websites are buzzing about the possibility of an upset in this election that would've been unheard of just a few months ago.

Polls continue to roll in showing the Kentucky U.S. Senate race is tight. It is also being closely watched around the country. Time magazine did a story featuring the battle for the senate and zeroed in on Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's challenge from Democrat Bruce Lunsford.... Other publications and websites are buzzing about the possibility of an upset in this election that would've been unheard of just a few months ago. That is until the economic problems of recent weeks and the bailout passed by Congress at President Bush's urging. Republican Senator Elizabeth Dole is running behind in North Carolina as is Norm Coleman in Minnesota and Georgia has a tough contest underway.

Both presidential candidates supported the bailout... but surveys have given Barack Obama the advantage on economic issues. John McCain himself says the economy is THE issue in the race and he's seeing some improvement in standing on money issues simply because he's emphasizing it.

For his part, McConnell is on the road, making 62 stops across Kentucky in the last two weeks before the election. McConnell is also hitting the economy... but he's also emphasizing the clout of his position as Republican leading and making the case that it puts him a strong position to get things done for Kentucky.

Lunsford, who has personally financed most of his campaign, is now getting the benefit of national Democratic money and ads flowing in. The Democratic Senate Campaign Committee has redirected money to Kentucky because the race looks potentially winnable. Bill Clinton will campaign for Lunsford and other Democrats in Bowling Green on Friday.

SOME HAVE VOTED

Some Kentuckians have already voted in local county clerk's offices. That process is ongoing. To a large extent, it takes the place of problematic absentee ballots that used to be fodder for election fraud in Kentucky. The walk-in voting has already attracted more than 50,000 voters.

WKYT/HERALD LEADER "Kentucky Poll"

This week, the WKYT/Herald Leader "Kentucky Poll" will be released. We'll be looking at the senate and presidential race... as well as Governor Steve Beshear's standing with the public... and some issues that might affect the outcome of the November 4th election.

Posted: 11:26 AM
- Republicans are using a $400,000 state payment to settle sexual harassment claims in their campaign to wrest control of the governor's mansion and state House of Representatives from Democrats.

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